Oral History Community Workshop

Charlene L. Martin, Linda Rosenlund, and Maureen Ryan Doyle led an Oral History Community Workshop on May 26 at the Worcester Historical Museum. This free workshop focused on methods of collecting and sharing oral histories. Topics that were covered included: Developing Questions for the Interview, Listening Intently, The Importance of Follow-Up Questions, Transcription Tips, What to Bring to the Interview, and Legal Documents.

The audience was comprised of several individuals from the city of Worcester as well as many others from surrounding towns. While some were interested in preserving the memories of relatives within their own families, others were interested in beginning or continuing community oral history projects. The workshop also contained information for teachers seeking to implement oral histories in a classroom setting.

A lively question and answer session followed the formal presentations. Those in attendance posed many incisive questions which led to in-depth discussions of the finer points of conducting oral histories. The workshop concluded with Charlene Martin and Maureen Ryan Doyle reading excerpts from their forthcoming book, Voices of Worcester Women: 160 Years after the First National Woman’s Rights Convention.

This workshop was offered as part of the Worcester Women’s History Project’s ongoing commitment to research, document, and celebrate women’s history while developing relationships with women’s groups, historical organizations, and the greater Worcester community.